CHAPTER 92

They started arriving the next day at noon. Priscilla arrived first and explained to Theophilus that her husband, Aquila, had been trampled during the first night of the fire. Procula appeared an hour later, and Theophilus was relieved to find out she had survived.

Andronicus and Junia came in the middle of the afternoon and told stories about the early days of what they called the ecclesia, the assembling of Christians. They were old and gray, the grandparents of the group, and they brought a calming influence with them. They had physically seen Jesus after his resurrection and had been in Jerusalem to hear the first message preached by Peter the fisherman. They said that people from all over the empire had been there. They described how the disciples of Jesus had begun speaking in strange languages, yet everyone had heard the words in their own tongue. Theophilus watched as Mansuetus soaked in their stories and asked questions throughout the afternoon.

As each new set of leaders arrived, Theophilus pulled them aside and told them what he had learned from Seneca. Everyone agreed that they would meet together later that night to discuss how to proceed.

Not all of the leaders showed up. Some sent explanations that they couldn’t leave what they were doing to make the trip. Others had simply disappeared.

Some of the guests brought their own supplies of bread and wine, which Flavia pooled with what she had on hand. By dinner, there were more than two hundred people at the estate. Following directions from Flavia, the servants did their best to feed everyone, parceling out the limited provisions as far as they would go.

After dinner, the leaders crammed into Theophilus’s study to debate the next move. They all agreed that they should tell the people what they knew.

Before the meeting of leaders adjourned, Junia had a suggestion. “Our Lord Jesus told us that when we assembled together, we should break bread and share a cup of wine to remember his sacrifice. I think we should do that first.”

The others agreed.

Flavia and Theophilus set up the atrium for the occasion, though the crowd overflowed out the front door. Everyone sat as close together as possible while Andronicus, Junia, and Priscilla led the ceremony. They recounted the story of the Passover meal that Jesus had shared with his disciples the night before his crucifixion.

Andronicus held up a loaf of bread. “Jesus broke the bread and gave pieces to his disciples and said to them, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’”

Andronicus broke the loaf in half and gave one piece to Theophilus and another to Flavia. He broke other loaves and distributed those to the other leaders.

Theophilus joined Priscilla and Procula as they walked around and broke off pieces of the bread for the people sitting on the floor. It was such a simple ceremony, yet there was something profound about the looks on the faces of the Christians as they thought about the broken and bruised body of Jesus.

Many of them cupped the small piece of bread in their hands for a few moments, staring at it as if it were a sacred object. Some were openly crying.

When the leaders had finished distributing the bread, Andronicus took a cup of wine. “When he drank the wine after the Passover meal, Jesus said, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.’”

Andronicus took a sip of the wine and then nodded at Junia. She stood in front of him and shared a drink from the same cup while others lined up.

Theophilus took his place in line with Flavia and Mansuetus. When it was his turn, he looked into the eyes of Andronicus, a man who had actually seen the risen Christ.

Nero’s threat seemed far away. Theophilus’s fellow believers were close, and Jesus was even closer.

He watched Flavia close her eyes as she drank, letting it all sink in. Mansuetus looked as serious as Theophilus had ever seen him.

It took three or four cups, but when everyone had finished, Andronicus closed the ceremony with a prayer. Only then did he turn it over to Theophilus so that the host could tell the others about the new danger from the emperor.

Without mentioning Seneca’s name, Theophilus explained that several followers of the Way had already been arrested and were prepared to testify falsely against the rest of the believers. Theophilus told everyone that he would help defend them if they were charged.

The entire room was silent for a few minutes after Theophilus finished. Eventually, those who had been believers the longest stood up to share their experiences. The stories were different, but the themes were always the same. Christ had suffered. His disciples had suffered as well. Now it was their turn to stand strong in the faith. A few shared their own stories of being thrown into prison for nothing more than believing in Christ.

“We should not fear an emperor who can only harm our bodies,” Priscilla said. “We should only fear the one who has authority over both body and soul.”

Theophilus gained strength from this time of sharing. He had expected that they would all discuss strategies for protecting themselves and their families. Instead, person after person talked about the will of God and their belief that God could deliver them if he chose to do so. If not, they were prepared to suffer for their faith.

Somebody’s remarks brought to mind what Paul had said in his letter. It had been an exhibit in Paul’s trial and Theophilus had kept it. He quietly instructed Mansuetus to retrieve the scroll from his study. Within a few minutes, Mansuetus returned.

As host, Theophilus had the last word that night. He told the others about his role in the trial and crucifixion of Jesus. Twice he choked up and had to regain his composure before he continued. Procula was nodding along. Everyone listened intently as Theophilus described the suffering and passion of Jesus.

He ended by taking the scroll that contained a copy of Paul’s letter to the believers in Rome and read his favorite passages.

“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. . . .

“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all —how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? . . .

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? . . . No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

When Theophilus finished, there was hardly a dry eye in the room. He closed the scroll and handed it back to Mansuetus. The believers sang a hymn, and because it was late, the other leaders stayed for the night.